Facts and Figures

Causes

There is no single cause of suicide. In most cases suicide is the result of a combination of different risk factors (e.g., mental illness, substance abuse, painful losses, family stressors, access to means of self-harm) in conjunction with one or more precipitating life events. These “triggers,” such as a break-up or being bullied are rarely the only “cause” of suicide, but rather the “last straw” that pushes an already at-risk individual over the edge. An important statistic shows that 90% of people across all ages who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of their death. This is why identifying and treating mental illnesses is crucial in working to prevent suicide.